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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26427901">Mental Gymnastics</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AshAndSnow/pseuds/AshAndSnow'>AshAndSnow</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Established Relationship, Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, Mild Angst, Misunderstandings, Overthinking, tony stark is dramatic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 03:27:55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>876</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26427901</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AshAndSnow/pseuds/AshAndSnow</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Loki has a key to Tony’s apartment. So when he rings the doorbell, surely there can only be one reason.</p><p>Surely, Loki is here to break up with him.</p><p>(Alternate title: Tony Stark, Acrobat Extraordinaire, Jumping Through Hoops and Headfirst Into Conclusions)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Loki/Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>192</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Mental Gymnastics</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/KasumiAFKGod/gifts">KasumiAFKGod</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is for my buddypal, Kas, since she is a human with a birthday. She didn’t outright ask for this, but also, she kind of did when she talked about this one song a little while ago. Which of course made me go "perfect idea for the birthday gift I'm about to write you." So, surprise!</p><p> Happy birthday! &lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>If there is one thing Tony is good at, it’s logic.</p><p>He’s a genius, you see, and don’t you forget it. He’s been building circuit boards since he was 4, he made robots for fun as a teen, he was out of college with multiple degrees before he was old enough to legally drink.</p><p>Tony is very, very smart. And you can always count on him to make heads and tails of any given conundrum.</p><p>(In the distance, Loki’s laughing his head off. If you focus really hard, you can hear Tony grumbling about it.)</p><p>So when Loki rings the doorbell this evening, it immediately puts Tony on high alert.</p><p>(And okay, maybe it’s been a high stress sort of day, it’s not solely about this one little thing, but you know how it is when you feel overwhelmed and your mind latches onto one stupid, small thing, right? Right.)</p><p>Because Loki? Loki has a key.</p><p>What does one do with a key? They unlock stuff.</p><p>Loki’s had the key for about six months, and he’s been using it liberally ever since. He’ll let himself in for any reason. More often than not, Tony knows about it. He’ll come over after work for a quiet night of cooking, TV, and fantastic sex, and then he’ll let himself out in the morning to go back to work. Other times, Loki lets himself in without asking first. He doesn’t have to, they’ve talked about it, Tony trusts him. If he needs a nap, a snack, a bathroom break, a place to hide. Sometimes he needs to borrow something, sometimes he needs to get something for Tony, sometimes he forgot something.</p><p>There’s no end to the list of reasons Loki will let himself into Tony’s home, and that is okay. It’s great, it’s wonderful, Tony loves sharing his space with Loki in this way. </p><p>And in the six months since Tony gave Loki that key, not once has he used the doorbell.</p><p>Tony takes a second to mull this over. Does that mean it isn’t Loki? His mail and packages aren’t delivered to his front door, salesmen aren’t allowed into the building, and he hasn’t ordered food. And Loki is supposed to show up at his place right about now. But still…</p><p>”Tony?”</p><p>Nevermind, that is definitely Loki.</p><p>But if it is definitely Loki, what the hell is he doing ringing the doorbell? He’s got the key, he’s not afraid to use it. So it’s not about any sort of inability to let himself in.</p><p>Tony’s next guess is that it has to be a politeness thing. And since Loki isn’t normally overly concerned about being polite to Tony (and Tony loves him for it), then that must mean that these are not normal circumstances.</p><p>Alright, then. Next step is mapping out what normal circumstances entail, then, so he can pinpoint how things could be different. Normally… well, normally Loki’s a little shit. But only because they’re comfortable with each other. They’re happy. They’re in love.</p><p>And the opposite of that? Loki not being a shit, that’s confirmed, he’s being polite and ringing the doorbell. But… does that also mean he’s not comfortable, happy, or in love?”</p><p>”Tony, come on, open the door, I know you’re in there!”</p><p>See!? He’s not happy! He sounds very much like someone who isn’t in a happy and loving mood!</p><p> </p><p>And what is something that leads people who are unhappy and not in love to be polite?</p><p>If you said ’the intention to break up’, then ding ding ding, you win a cookie. Tony might just go grab one to reward himself for his smarts and fortify himself for what’s to come.</p><p>It makes sense. If Loki’s about to break up with him, he won’t feel so at ease in Tony’s home. He won’t just barge in, that would be super rude. He’s ring the doorbell, he’ll tell Tony to sit down, they need to talk, and then he’ll gently break it to him.</p><p>”Tony, godsdammit, open the fucking door!”</p><p>Okay, maybe not so gentle.</p><p>Loki starts pounding. ”Open the fucking door, I forgot my keys at work and I’m cold.”</p><p>Tony’s brain grinds to a halt.</p><p>Loki did what?</p><p>Loki just… forgot his keys?</p><p>Tony starts to laugh at himself. He needs to get better at winding down after work, because fuck, he did not see that coming in the haze of the day’s lingering stress.</p><p>He’s still laughing as he opens the door, and he doesn’t even care that Loki looks utterly disgruntled, a smidgen of confusion entering his eyes at Tony’s laughter.</p><p>He’ll tell him later, maybe, what really was going on just now. He can already picture Loki rolling his beautiful eyes and laugh his beautiful laugh at him. He can see in his mind’s eye how the gorgeous creature in front of him will shake his head and remind Tony that they’re stuck together, that there’s no way he’ll be rid of him now.</p><p>But all that’s for later.</p><p>For now, he just pulls his lover into a warm, reassuring kiss, relishing the way Loki melts, all annoyance evaporating as hands slide into hair and lips part and Tony’s heart does a happy little flip in his chest.</p>
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